Black Manta – Aquaman #10, DC ComicsĪquaman is a child of two worlds, but he is equally at home in both. The dichotomy between these characters has made their rivalry one of the fiercest in the DC Universe, and much of the power of that dichotomy comes from the myriad ways in which these two oppose each other.Īquaman vs. Black Manta briefly gained the ability to breathe underwater himself, and was also transformed into a man/manta hybrid which greatly increased his strength.īlack Manta has been a member of both the Injustice League and the Secret Society of Super Villains. His helmet allows him to see underwater where there is limited light and can fire powerful laser blasts.
He is equipped with bladed weapons, small rockets and grenades, and electrical shock devices. His suit is completely water-tight and protects him from the temperatures and pressures of the deep sea, as well as allowing him to breathe.
In the ultimate act of hatred, Black Manta murdered Aquaman’s only son – an act which would drive the hero into madness and rage and break up his marriage for a time.īlack Manta is a skilled combatant, but he primarily relies on his technological prowess in battle. Throughout his run in the comics, Black Manta’s every plot has involved attempting to kill Aquaman or those he loves. In the New 52, Aquaman kills Black Manta’s father in a mistaken attempt at retribution against the man he believed had attacked his own father. Both cases hold true to the idea that at the core of Black Manta is an unstoppable, blinding hatred for Aquaman. When he eventually snapped and murdered his captors, he channeled his hatred towards Aquaman and the sea, which he saw as cold and uncaring. He saw Aquaman but was unable to signal for help. Pre- Flashpoint, this hatred was rooted in childhood trauma: a young Manta was kidnapped and repeatedly assaulted on a boat. There have been a few different versions of Black Manta’s origin over his long run in the comics, but at the heart of all of them is a consistent core: he is a violent and murderous treasure hunter, who uses his considerable resources to equip his criminal endeavours and specifically his quest to kill Aquaman. He is also notable in that his relationship with Mera – a citizen of a lost colony of Atlantis and more importantly his wife and Queen – is among the few examples of a lasting superhero marriage in the DC Universe.
For a brief period of time he utilized an advanced cybernetic hook as a prosthetic after he lost his left hand.Īquaman is a founding member of the original Justice League, as well as being a founder and key member of several other incarnations of the group. He wields the Trident of Poseidon and is an expert hand-to-hand combatant. He is a proficient warrior and strategist, adept in command of an army as well as individual conflict. He has even, on occasion, been able to affect human minds with his telepathy. Originally, this power was explained as Aquaman speaking to marine creatures in their own language, but has since been retconned into a form to telepathic influence. Additionally, Aquaman possesses the ability to communicate with and/or control all marine life. On land his underwater resilience manifests as greatly enhanced super-strength and durability. He is capable of withstanding the extreme pressures and temperatures of the ocean, and can swim at incredible speed. This tension between the role of monarch and that of superhero are frequently at the core of modern Aquaman storylines.Īquaman’s unique genetics allow him to survive both on land and underwater. In this role, he is a proficient diplomat and politician, though he often struggles to find a balance between his underwater responsibilities and his love for the surface world. Eventually, Arthur would learn of his other heritage (and his other name, Orin) and reclaim the throne that was rightfully his, that of Atlantis. His mother died and he was raised on land by his father, who named him Arthur and trained him to master his abilities. Otherwise known as Arthur Curry and as Orin, Aquaman is the product of two distinct lineages his father, Thomas Curry, was a human undersea explorer and his mother was the Atlantean queen Atlanna. Aquaman as he appears in the New 52 – Aquaman #1, DC Comics
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